COVID-19 - Information for Individuals and Businesses
- S+SNZ COVID-19 information and resource page.
- Visit the NZ government's COVID-19 'go to' website.
- General information for the public from the Ministry of Health.
- Government information for businesses is available on the business.govt.nz site.
Health and Safety Act 2016
S+SNZ advocates best practice for health and safety and is committed to ensuring members are kept abreast of the new Health and Safety reform.
The Act is wide-ranging with the aim of addressing New Zealand’s poor health and safety record. It will have wide-reaching implications and requirements for not only individuals and employees but also for businesses both large and small. Individual obligations and liabilities are one of the new features of the legislation that everyone needs to be aware of.
The key intents of the Act are to ensure employers provide and maintain a workplace that is safe and without risk to health and that workers care for themselves and other people in the workplace as well as observing and respecting all safety rules, directions and requirements relating to health and safety.
Key points to be aware of:
- Change in terms: The new Act changes the terms currently used for employers and employees and expands the definition of an officer
- Definition of employee is expanded: An employee includes permanent employees; contractors; temporary workers; sub-contractors; labour-hire workers; students gaining work experience and apprentices.
- You are individually liable: Individual people now have a responsibility for their health and safety and personal liability. This differs from previously where businesses carried the liability.
- Specific responsibilities: There are responsibilities under the Act specific to workers, Persons Conducting a Business or Undertaking (PCBU) (ie an employer) and Officers (ie a person who makes or participates in making decisions that affect the whole or a substantial part of the business of the organization or who has the capacity to significantly affect the organisation’s financial standing).
- Right to information: Workers have a right to health and safety information, training, and systems provided by PCBUs.
- You can refuse to do work : The Act gives Workers the right to refuse to do work they think is likely to seriously harm them.
Resources
Five Ways to Well being Toolkit
The Five Ways to Wellbeing at Work Toolkit is a stepped guide to improving mental wellness in your workplace. It includes fact sheets, tips, tools and templates to make it easy for you to support your teams to build the Five Ways into their daily lives. The toolkit can be downloaded as one document or in sections.
Mental wellbeing is one of the most valuable business assets. Workplaces that prioritise mental health have better engagement, reduced absenteeism and higher productivity, while people have improved wellbeing, greater morale and higher job satisfaction.
- 5 Ways to Well Being at Work
- 5 Ways to Well Being - Best Practice Guide
- 5 Ways to Well Being - Stress and How to Handle It
NZ Human Rights Commission
Worksafe New Zealand
- Bullying Prevention Toolbox
- Hazardous Substances Regulations
- Around the Block - animated lockup - take an interactive walk and find out how you can get your workplace health and safety risks sorted.
Following an Earthquake
- NZ Foreign Affairs and Trade - Important post-earthquake information
- NZ Institute of Building Surveyors
- ICNZ – Insurance Council of New Zealand
- Earthquake Advisory: Update No 2 – 16th November 2016 Public Health Messages
- Assistance after a natural disaster or major event
- Building Code Update 203: Two new geotechnical guidance modules released by MBIE and
Download the Worksafe guides from Attachments below.
General Information
- Health & Safety at Work (Asbestos) Regulations 2016 - Update (18-04-18)
- Understanding your obligations when it comes to workplace health and safety
- Drugs, Alcohol and Work – support on workplace policies, testing, rehabilitation and training and awareness (MBIE)
- Driver Training - fleet safety
- Worksafe-nz-statement-of-intent-2016-2020
- Worksafe Quarterly Report - Performance 2016-17
- Health & Safety Risks: What Does Reasonably Practicable Mean? Business.govt.nz
- MBIE regulations
- MBIE Consultation Documents
- Government Legislation - NZ Legislation Site